Inflatable ball



May 24, 1938. D. LEVINSON INFLATABLE BALL Filed April 19, 1935 51116711271? David Lawn/50m, W MM j .point. provided withazsmall aperture orpassage there- Patented May 24,1938

T orrics INFLATABLE "BALL 'DavidLevinson, Chicago,.lll.,assignor to Standard Sports Mfg. Co., Chicago, "111., a corporation of Illinois Appiication April 19, 1925, Serial, No. 17,194

4 Claims.

The inventionrelates generally to inflatable 'ballsra-nd more particularly to an inflatable ball having a valve means positioned adjacent an aperture in the cover, which provides access to :thevalve means for inflating the bladder.

The general objectof the invention is to pro- -videa ballof this type,'-having:the rigid portions of its valve means fully protected on the exterior of .the ball by material which is resilient so that the rigid portions will notv materially afiect the reaction of the ball when struck at that point, andwhich is shaped to conform to the normal contour of the ball so that the ball will-not be distorted.

Another object isto provide a ballin which the valve means is protected fromdust and dirt and yet is readily accessible for purposes of in.- flating or deflating the bladder.

It is also an object to provide an inflatable ball and valve structure therefor which facilitate the inflation and deflation of the bladder.

Other objects and advantages will: become apparent from the following-description taken in connection with the accompanying a drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a ball embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged 'view'of a portion. of the outer surface of the ball.

Fig. 3- is a sectionalview taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the means for inflating the ball.

Fig. 4 is a view of a part of the structure sho in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a. View similar to Fig. 3 but showing 'a modified form of construction.

Fig. 6 is a view of the inflating means used in connection with-the construction shown in Fig. 5.

The invention is embodied in an inflatable ball comprising a cover enclosing a bladder. The preferred embodiment comprises generally a valve structure of the spring-operated type positioned in alinement with an aperture inthe cover and secured to the cover. Preferably the valve structure is secured to the cover by a flexible means so that the resiliency of the ball at that point is retained. Protecting the valve structure is a plug secured in the aperture in the cover and so shaped extericrly as to conform to the contour of the ball. The plug is preferably made of resilient materialso that the reaction of the ball to a blow struck atthat point is not materially different from the reaction to a blow at any other To inflate or deflate the ball, the plug is spring-operated ,valve having :a stem through adapted to receive a tubular inflation needle. The needle is adapted to be inserted through the plug'far enough to contact and open the valve, and to be 'held in that position by the plug.

For purposes of illustration,the invention-is shown embodied in a'football comprising a cover .lll having an opening for the insertion of a bladder l I, the opening being adapted to be closed after the bladder is inserted. In the present instance, the bladder insertion opening is shown closed by means such as a lacing l2.

The preferred embodiment'of the invention is .a ball having access through'the cover it! to the ladder for inflation or deflation thereof at a point spaced from the bladder-insertion opening,

and forthat purpose, an'aperture 13 is provided in the cover. Controlling the inflation and 'deflation of the bladderis .a valve structure M of the type which is made of metal and includes a IS. The latter has 'one end positioned within a tubular part" l6 atthe outer end of the valve structure.

The valve structure, being metallic, is rigid,

so that it is undesirable to permit said structure g to extend to the exterior of the iball because, if

.the' ball were struckat that point, the reaction of the @ball "would difl'er from the reaction, if struck at'another portion. For the same reason,

"it is undesirable to have the .valve structure rigidly attached-to the cover or to have the valve structure immediately underlie the cover.

' One of"theschief features .of theinvention is therefore to attach the valve structure to the cover in as'flexible manner. Since it is necessary at times to detach the bladder from the cover, themeans for attachin'g'the valve structurato the cover .mayrbe such that it-may be readily disengaged, in which case the valve structureyis removed with thebladder, or said means may permanently attach the valve structure to cover, in which case,'the bladder is detachable from the valve structure.

.Insthe present instance, the valve structure is permanently attached to the cover by means of a flexible member preferably made 'of rubber and "comprisinga tubular portion ll and a flange portion 18 at its'outer end. The'latter is secured against the inner sur'face'of the cover and holds the valve structure in alinement with the aperture l3 in the cover. Preferablythe'flange portion I8 is secured to the cover by .stitchingl9, and a cushion 20 of soft'leather or the like may, if desired, .beiplaced over the inner. face of the .flangerportion. l8 to:prevent chafing the bladder, f

the cushion also being secured by the stitching I9. The tubular portion I! of the flexible member is preferably molded on and around the valve structure. To attach the bladder thereto, the tubular portion I! is tapered externally, and the bladder is provided with an inwardly turned stem 2| which is stretched and slipped over the tubular portion IT to hold the bladder in place and prevent leakage therefrom.

As mentioned above, one of the features of the invention is to hold the valve structure spaced from the cover. To this end, the tubular portion I! of the flexible attaching member extends beyond the outer end of the valve structure so that said outer end is spaced from. the cover and is movable relative thereto to a limited extent due to the flexibility of the tubular portion Ii. To provide access to the valve structure from the exterior of the ball, the portion I'I provides a depression leading to the outer end of the valve structure, said depression preferably being of the same shape and size as the aperture in the cover.

Another important feature of the invention lies in the manner of inflating and deflating the ball and at the same time protecting the valve structure from dust and dirt. For this purpose, an inflation needle is employed which comprises a body 22 adapted to be attached to a pump or the like and preferably having a spring-operated valve therein. Extending from the body 22 is a tubular needle portion 23 having at its extremity one or more transverse apertures 24. The needle portion 23 is adapted to be inserted into the valve structure to depress the valve stem and open the valve, and then to conduct air thereto from the pump.

To this end, means is provided to hold the needle portion in alinement with the valve stem I5 and at the same time hold the needle portion against longitudinal movement after insertion so that the valve stem will remain in depressed position. Said means is also so constructed that it provides an air-tight seal around the needle portion, protects the valve from dust and dirt, when the needle is removed, and is shaped so that it conforms to the contour of the ball. As shown herein, said means comprises a plug 25 made of resilient material such as rubber and fitting snugly in the aperture I3 and within the tubular portion I! of the flexible member. To hold the plug 25 in place, a metallic insert 26 is molded in the rubber and extends beyond the inner end of the rubber, as at 21, for threaded engagement with the tubular part I6 of the valve structure. plug is so proportioned that, when the threaded portion 21 is screwed into the valve structure, the rubber of the plug is drawn into engagement with the end of the valve structure to provide a seal.

For the reception of the needle, the plug 25 and its metallic insert 26 have an aperture or passage 28 therethrough. The portion of said passage lying in the insert 26 is of sufficient diameter to provide ample clearance for the needle. But the portion of the passage in the rubber plug is normally somewhat smaller than the needle so that, upon insertion of the latter, the rubber is stretched and thus provides a seal around the needle. Such stretching of the rubber also gives it a tight grip on the needle so that the latter is held against longitudinal movement when inserted and thus holds the valve open. The passage 29 is also so positioned that it holds the needle in alinement with the valve stem I5.

Since the plug 26 preferably is to lie flush with The the outer surface of the ball, it is made somewhat longer than desired, and then, after being inserted, the excess length is cut off, so that the outer end face thereof conforms to the contour of the ball. To illustrate this, Fig. 4 shows a plug before insertion and the portion 29 shown in dotted lines, illustrates the portion which is cut off.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the needle isheld in its inserted position by providing a threaded engagement thereof with metal insert 26 in the plug. Thus, the needle is provided with a threaded portion 30 engaging threads cut on the interior of the insert 26, the threaded portion 30 being spaced from the extremity of the needle so that the transverse apertures 24 in the needle will have access to the valve. The rubber portion of the plug may also serve to hold the needle and provide the air-tight seal around the needle.

In use, the bladder is inserted into the cover through the bladder-insertion opening, and the stem 2| of the bladder is slipped over the tubular portion I1 of the flexible member securing the valve structure to the cover. In so doing, the stem 2| of the bladder is stretched sufficiently to hold the bladder firmly engaged and to prevent leakage. The ball may then be laced and the plug 25 inserted into the aperture I3 and cut of! flush with the cover.

The ball is thus ready for inflation which is accomplished by inserting the needle into the passage 28 far enough to force the valve stem I5 to its open position, the passage 28 holding the needle in alinement with the valve stem. When the needle is so inserted, the stretch of the rubber of the plug holds the needle against longitudinal movement and provides an air-tight seal around the needle. Air may then be pumped through the needle and into the bladder, leakage being prevented by the aforesaid seal, the seating of the plug against the end of the valve structure, and the spring-operated valve in the needle body 22. When the bladder is sufiiciently inflated, the needle is merely withdrawn and the valve stem I5 returns to its closed position. For deflating the ball, the needle is similarly inserted and the valve in the needle body 22 is opened to permit the air to escape through the needle.

In the modified form illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the needle is inserted by screwing the threads 30 thereon into engagement with the internal threads of the insert 26 of the" plug. Such threaded engagement holds the needle in position to force the valve open, While the rubber portion 25 of the plug, in conjunction with the threads, provides an air-tight seal around the needle.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided an inflatable ball employing a spring-operated metallic valve which is so attached to the cover that the valve and its attachment will not materially affect the reaction of the ball when struck at the point of attachment. Thus, while'the valve structure is metallic and hence non-resilient, it is attached tothe cover by a flexible member and held in spaced relation to the cover so that its rigidity does not affect the reaction of the ball. The valve structure is amply protected from dust and dirt by the plug 25 which is made of rubber cut to conform to the contour of the ball. By means of the inflation, the ball is readily inflated or deflated, the needle being yieldably held in proper position for these operations by the grip of the rubber plug or, in the case of the modified form, by the threads 30.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an inflatable ball, the combination of a cover having an aperture therein, a metallic valve structure, a flexible member secured to said cover and having a tubular portion supporting said valve structure with its outer end spaced from the cover, and a plug for protecting the valve structure comprising a threaded portion screwed into the valve structure and a resilient portion shaped to fit snugly in the tubular portion of the flexible member and in said aperture, said plug being apertured to receive a, tubular inflation needle.

2. In an inflatable ball having an apertured cover and a metallic valve structure, the combination of a tubular flexible member secured to the cover and supporting said valve structure, and a plug to protect the valve structure comprising a resilient member shaped to fit snugly in the outer end of said flexible member and in the aperture in the cover, and a threaded insert embedded in the inner end of said resilient member and screwed into the valve structure for holding the plug in place, said resilient member and said insert having a longitudinal passage therethrough to receive a tubular inflation needle.

3. In an inflatable ball, the combination of a cover having an aperture therein, a valve structure, means for securing the valve structure to the cover in alinement with said aperture, and a plug of resilient material secured in said aperture for protecting the valve structure and having a small aperture therethrough to receive a tubular inflation needle to open the valve, said plug having a metallic insert having a screw-threaded engagement with said needle to hold the needle in place.

4. In an inflatable ball, the combination of a cover having an aperture therein, a metallic valve structure, means for securing the valve structure to the cover in alinement with said aperture, and a plug of resilient material positioned in said aperture to protect the valve and having a metallic insert threaded into the valve structure, said plug having an aperture therethrough to receive a tubular inflation needle with the insert interiorly threaded to cooperate with threads on the needle to hold the needle in place.

DAVID LEVINSON. 

